Cabinet cover



Aug. 4, 1942. R. s. SHANKWEILER CABINET COVER Filed July 23, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet l KWEILER 4M 4770mm.

Patented Aug. 4, 1942 CABINET COVER Ray G. Shankweiler, Philadelphia,Pa., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of DelawareApplication July 23, 1938, Serial No. 220,949

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a cover for a cabinet and more particularly tothe manner in which the cover is supported and moved with respect to thecabinet proper.

In the usual cabinet where the cover therefor occupies some materialvertical height, the cover is ordinarily hinged at the lower rear edgeso that when the front of the cover is lifted, it pivots about the hingemember and rotates with respect to the cabinet proper. When a covermember is so hinged or so attached to the cabinet proper, the upper rearedge of the cover member during the opening of the cover necessarilymoves rearwardly with respect to the cabinet and when the cover has beenrotated through 90 degrees to completely open the cabinet, the topmember or surface of the cover is parallel with the back of the cabinetproper, but is spaced therefrom a distance equal to the height of thecover. This construction is not entirely desirable where a cabinetmember with a removable or retatable cover is to be placed against awall, particularly if the cover is of any appreciable height, since thecover will strike the wall when being moved relative to the cabinet.

It is therefore one purpose of the present invention. to provide a covermember for a cabin t, the cover being so positioned and supported withrespect to the cabinet proper that the cover may be rotated through 90degrees while at the same time no part of the cover extends beyond theplane of the back wall of the cabinet during movement of the cover.

A. further purpose of the present invention resides in the provision ofmeans whereby the cover member may be used a light shield when in itsopen position to facilitate the reading of instruments which may belocated within the cabinet proper, when the cover is open.

A still further purpose of the present invention. resides in theprovision of means whereby the cover may be entirely removed from thecabinet proper without the necessity of removing any mechanical parts orunfas ening any securing means.

A further purpose of the present invention resides in the provision ofmeans whereby the rear wall. of the cover member is caused to move in aplane parallel to the plane of the rear wall of the cabinet when thecover member is open, in order that the rear wall will not interferewith any instruments or other objects which may be positioned in thecabinet proper.

Still another advantage of the present invention resides in the factthat a minimum space is required for the cabinet and lid, or cover, andfurther, the cover, in being opened or closed, obstructs or interfereswith a Very minimum of space within the confines of the cover.

Still another advantage of the present invention resides in the factthat the cover in its open position rests on its back peripheral surfaceand no latches, springs, or counterweights are necessary in order tomaintain the cover in its open position.

Still other advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the followingspecification and claims, particularly when considered in connectionwith the drawings, wherein reference characters represent like parts andwherein:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the cabinet and cover membertherefor,

Figure 2 shows in detail the manner in which the guide rods are attachedto the cover,

Figure 3 is a rear view of the cabinet and cover member,

Figure 4 shows a further detail of the cabinet, and

Figure 5 shows a section taken at 5-5 on Figure 3.

Referring now to Figure 1, a cabinet member is shown at In, having a lidor cover l2 therefor. The cabinet proper includes four sides, which maybe constructed of any material such as wood or sheet metal, and may .bereinforced by angle members l4 positioned at the corners thereof. Thecabinet may also include shelves or partitions and various openings maybe included in the side walls thereof. No specific details of thecabinet proper other than those necessary to properly show and describethe invention are herein shown.

The lid or cover I2 comprises front and side members of any desirableheight and a top member, all of which are attached together byappropriate material. The rear wall i6 of the cover is not attached tothe adjacent walls for a reason which will become more apparent later.

To the cover or lid is attached a pair of rod members 18. These rodmembers are attached to the upper rear corners of the cover in a mannershown in detail in Figures 2 and 4, and provide a means whereby thecover or lid is guided during its movement from open to closed position.The cover member is provided at each of the rear corners with anglemembers 20 in order to strengthen the construction, and, joining theside walls of the cover is an additional member 22 which assists the topcover member in maintaining sufficient rigidity of the cover as a whole.The angle members 2!] as well as the member 22 may be attached to thecover by spot welding, riveting or any desirable and satisfactory means.Attached to the cross member 22 by means of rivets or bolts 23, are apair of supporting brackets 24 and 25. The ends of these brackets areturned 90 degrees with respect to the plane of the cross member 22 andare spaced apart a distance suflicient to admit the flattened end of theguide rods I3. The rods are attached to the brackets 24 and 25 by meansof pins 26, in order to form a bearing surface and in order thatrelative rotation is possible between the rod 18 and the brackets. Therear wall it of the cover I2 is also attached to the pin 26 and isaccordingly supported by the brackets 24 and 25, a spacer 21 being usedto prevent interference between the rear wall it and the guide rods H3.

The rods l8, by reason of their being attached to the rear corners ofthe lid, are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distancebetween the corners of the cabinet proper. The rods are slidablymaintained in position in the rear corners of the cabinet It by means ofa plurality of guide lugs 33, the lugs being attached to the anglemembers M by rivets or screws 32. The spacing of the lugs 3 with respectto the rods I8 is such that a minimum of friction is produced, while atthe same time any excessive movement of the rods (other thanlongitudinal) with respect to the lugs 30 is prevented. It may be seen,therefore, that the rods [8 may he slid vertically with respect to thecabinet proper and are guided in such movement by means of the lugs 30.

At the lower rear corners of the cover are positioned a pair of rollers36 which are attached to the side walls of the cover by means of pins orbearing members 38. One of the rollers is best seen in Figure 2, andtheir relationship with respect to the cabinet proper and the rods I8 isclearly shown in Figure 3. In order that the rollers may have sumcientbearing surface on the cabinet proper, at least a portion of the upperedge of the side walls of the cabinet ID are turned in as indicated at31 in order to produce a widened surface, or any other means forproviding a track or bearing surface for the rollers 36 may be utilized.

It may be seen that when the cover is in its closed position asindicated by the dot-and-dash lines in Figure 1, and as shown in Figures2 and 3, the rollers 36 would normally interfere with the rod membersIB. In order to prevent such interference the rod members are providedwith a cut-out portion 40 so that when the cover is in its closedposition, the rollers will not strike against the rod members I8.

It may be seen, therefore, that with the cover in its closed position asshown in Figures 2 and 3 and as indicated by the dot-and-dash lines inFigure 1, the weight of the lid is supported entirely by the topperipheral edge of the cabinet I 0. If it is desired to open the lid thefront wall thereof is lifted by means of the handle 42, and in so doing,the front portion of the cover or lid is raised, but, by reason of thefact that the top ends of the rods l8 are attached to the top rearcorners of the lid, the top rear edge of the cover is prevented frommoving in any direction other than vertically. As the cover is opened,the weight thereof is in great part carried by the rollers 36 which restupon the bearing surface 31 and which roll from the rear corners of thecabinet forward along the top edges of the side walls of the cabinet asthe cover is moved from its closed to its opened, position. The locus ofmovement of the top rear edge of the cover is in a vertical plane asdetermined by the rod members 18. When the cover is finally completelyopen as indicated by the dotted lines of Figure 1, the Weight of thecover rests upon its rear peripheral edge, and the plane of the top ofthe cover substantially coincides with the plane of the rear wall of thecabinet proper. The rear wall I6 of the cover l2 moves in a verticalplane parallel to the rear wall 44 of the cabinet I0, and, when thecover is in its raised or open position, the rear wall 15 of the coverextends into the cabinet ID. The rear wall of the cover does not,however, interfere with any objects which may be positioned inside thecabinet 10 since it occupies a position parallel to and substantially incontact with the rear wall 44 of the cabinet as may be seen in Figure 4and furthermore, when the cover is closed, the rear wall [6 prevents anytampering with whatever apparatus might be accessible if the wall werenot provided.

In order to prevent the cover from being opened except by an authorizedperson a lock or latch 50 may be provided. This lock is located alongthe front edge of the cabinet and when locked the cover can not beremoved without actually destroying the cabinet. The front part of thecover cannot be raised because of the lock and the rear part cannot beraised since the guide rods l8 can be moved only in a longitudinaldirection and raising of the rear wall of the cover would require arotary motion which cannot be imparted to the rods. However, when thecabinet cover is not locked, if it is desirable to completely remove thecover from the cabinet it is only necessary to lift the cover verticallyso that the rod l8 may be slid completely out of their retaining lugs 30and no movement, adjustment or unfastening of any mechanical securingmeans is necessary to permit the cover to be completely removed from thecabinet.

By reason of the fact that the brackets 24 and 25 have a certainresiliency any slight misalignment due to abnormal stresses iscompensated for and proper registry of the cover with the cabinet propermay be assured. In order to more positively determine the position ofthe cover with respect to the cabinet as it approaches closed position,a pair of adjustable set screws or stops 4B are provided, these beingthreadably attached to the angle members 23 and cooperating with theguide rods 18. These stops 68 are so set that they strike the guide rodsas the cover reaches its final closed position and accurately positionthe cover on the cabinet. This resiliency also acts to absorb shocks andprevent possible warping of the guide rods [8.

It will also be seen that, as stated above, conslderable of the weightof the cover is carried by the rollers 36 and when the cover is in itsopen position, the weight of the cover is sufiicient to maintain thesame open and to prevent any possibility of its accidentally falling orbecoming displaced.

In order to produce a neat appearance, a small trim or beading 46 may beplaced about the lower edge of the cover member so that when the coveris closed, as indicated in Figure 3, the beading or trim 46 overlaps thelower edge of the cover and the top edge of the cabinet.

From the above it may, therefore, be seen that a cabinet constructed inaccordance with the present invention may be placed with its backagainst a wall and the cover member therefor may be readily and freelyopened even in view of the position and proximity of the wall, since nopart of the cover at any time extends beyond the plane of the rear wallof the cabinet during the time that the cabinet cover or lid is beingopened or closed.

Furthermore, it may be seen that in view of the present invention andthe afore-described manner of attaching the cover to the cabinet, thecover, upon being opened, does not interfere with any of the spacenormally contained under the cover, and objects which may protrudeupwardly from the cabinet proper into the space normally underlying thecover are not interfered with during the opening movement of the cover.

Although more or less specific details are shown in connection with thepresent invention, it is to be understood that it is not necessary touse these specific details insofar as the spirit of the presentinvention is concerned, and it is to be understood that any and allmodifications be considered within the purview of the present invention,except as limited by the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cabinet, a cover therefor, means including a pair of guide rodsattached to the top rear corners of the cover, said rods extendingvertically in the corners of the cabinet, means including guide memberspermitting longitudinal and vertical movement only of said rods in therear corners of the cabinet, and a pair of rollers at the lower rearcorners of the cover for controlling the movement of the cover wherebywhen the cover is rotated through substantially 90 degrees to move thesame from a closed to an open position, the center of rotation of thecover shifts from the point of attachment of the guide rods to thelocation of the rollers, said guide rods providing the sole guidingmeans.

2. A cabinet, a cover therefor including a front wall and two sidewalls, a pair of guide rods, means for pivotally and elasticallyattaching said guide rods to the top rear corner of each of the sidewalls, means whereby longitudinal movement of the rods within thecabinet is permitted, a roller attached to each lower corner of the sidewalls for cooperation with the edges of the cabinet, a pair of adjustingscrews attached to each lower corner of the side walls and adapted tocooperate with the guide rods when the cover is in a closed position, arear wall pivotally attached to each top rear corner of the side wallswhereby when the cover is rotated through approximately degrees to movethe same from a closed to an open position the rods and the rear wall ofthe cover move in a plane parallel to the back of the cabinet and extendinto the cabinet, and means for securing the front wall of the cover tothe cabinet.

3. A cabinet, a cover therefor including a front wall and two sideWalls, a guide rod pivotally attached to the top rear corner of each ofthe side walls, means whereby longitudinal movement of the rods withinthe cabinet is permitted. a pair of adjustable members attached to thelower corner of each of the side walls adapted to contact said guiderods when the cover is closed to position the same with respect to thecabinet, and a roller attached to each lower corner of each of the sidewalls for cooperation with the edges of the cabinet whereby when thecover is rotated through approximately 90 degrees the rods movelongitudinally within the cabinet and the top rear corners of the sidewalls move substantially in the plane of the back of the cabinet.

4. A cabinet, a cover therefor including a front wall and two sidewalls, a guide rod pivotally attached to the top rear corner of each ofthe side walls, means whereby longitudinal movement of the rods withinthe cabinet is permitted, a roller attached to each lower corner of theside walls for cooperation with the edges of the cabinet, a rear Wallpivotally attached to each top rear corner of the side walls wherebywhen the cover is rotated through approximately 90 degrees to move thesame from a closed to an open position the rods and the rear wall of thecover move in a plane parallel to the back of the cabinet and extendinto the cabinet.

RAY G. SHANKWEILER.

